The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will host the fourth annual PennDOT Innovations Challenge. The event encourages students to use their problem-solving, creative, and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world transportation challenges in a competition among their peers. The Innovations Challenge is open to all students in grades nine to 12, regardless of their school's learning model.
One of the goals of the Innovations Challenge is to open students' minds to the possibility of a career in transportation, maybe even with PennDOT. Students working on this project will engage in a real challenge facing the industry, finding a sustainable solution to transportation funding challenges.
This year's Innovations Challenge asks students to develop an innovative and implementable solution that helps address Pennsylvania's transportation revenue shortfall by identifying potential new funding streams, aside from additional gas taxes, tolls, or mileage-based user fees, to help ensure adequate transportation funding for the future.
PennDOT is directly responsible for nearly 40,000 miles of highway and roughly 25,000 bridges. Much of the funding to maintain this system comes from liquid fuels taxes, which are becoming increasingly unsustainable, especially considering additional impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
With vehicles becoming more fuel efficient and electric vehicles becoming more affordable, gasoline-based revenues can no longer generate the funds needed. Other options, including tolling and mileage-based user fees, are being explored. To meet the needs of its aging infrastructure, Pennsylvania needs to establish a funding stream that will inject an additional $5 billion per year into its transportation system.
Regional Innovations Challenge winners will be selected and invited to compete for the state championship. The Transportation Policy and Education Foundation, an educational arm of the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors (APC); the American Council of Engineering Companies of PA (ACEC/PA); and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) are providing a combined total award of $5,500 to be divided among the teams that place first, second, and third statewide.
For complete Innovations Challenge details, readers may visit http://www.penndot.gov/innovation. The submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 18.
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